Control mechanism for watch movements

ABSTRACT

A winding and setting mechanicm comprising a control stem, a setting lever pivoting on a movement plate and linked to the stem, a setting lever spring capable of securing the stem in several different axial positions, a clutch-wheel movable on the stem and driving a setting wheel in at least one of the positions of the stem, and a control plate pivoting on the movement plate and having a resilient arm engaged in a groove of the clutch wheel and a rigid arm carrying the setting wheel.

llnite States Patent [191 Fliiclt et al.

[ Nov. 19, 1974 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WATCH MOVEMENTS [75] Inventors: Josef Fliick, Grenchen; Kurt Schaller, Lengnau; Roland Zaugg, Grenchen, all of Switzerland [73] Assignee: A. Schild S. A., Grenchen,

Switzerland [22] Filed: Mar. 6, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.: 448,564

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 23, 1973 Switzerland 4276/73 [52] US. Cl. 58/68 [51] I Int. Cl. G04b 27/04 [58] Field of Search 58/63, 68, 58

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,919,537 l/l960 Meyer 58/68 3,762,153 10/1973 Komiyama 58/63 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5 922,142 3/1963 Great Britain 555/68 Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmStevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [57] ABSTRACT A winding and setting mechanicm comprising a control stem, a setting lever pivoting on a movement plate and linkedto the stem, a setting lever spring capable of securing the stem in several different axial positions, a clutch-wheel movable on the stem and driving a setting wheel in at least one of the positions of the stem, and a control plate pivoting on the movement plate and having a resilient arm engaged in a groove of the clutch wheel and a rigid arm carrying the setting wheel.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU NOV 1 9 I974 SHEET 1 0F 4 FlG.1

PATENTEI, IJUV l 9 I974 SHEET 2 OF 4 FIG.2

PATENTEBHUV 1 91914 3.848.400 SHEET 3 OF 4 FIG. 3

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WATCH MOVEMENTS The present invention relates to a control mechanism for mechanical watch movements.

In traditional watch movements without a calendar device, the control mechanism must perform two functions: the setting of the hands and the winding of the mainspring. In most of the watch movements including a calendar device, on the other hand, the control mechanism performs one or two additional functions: the correction of the calendar indicator member in the case of simple date-watches and the selective correction of one or the other of the calendar indicator members in the case of day/date-watches. In order to perform these additional functions, the known control mechanisms comprise, besides the parts of the traditional mechanisms, additional elements mounted on the movement plate which are quite numerous in certain cases. These additional elements must be adjusted to one another with great precision. Moreover, their shapes and their arrangement must be so designed as to keep them within a reasonable size. Finally, they must operate without disturbing the traditional functions of the mechanism and, in particular, without interfering with the setting of the hands. It is difficult to satisfy these several conditions. The displacement of the clutch-wheel on the square of the stem, starting from the setting position, can bring about a slight displacement of the wheels and pinions coupled to the hands, which prevents an absolutely precise hand-setting.

Furthermore, the movement plate must be provided with bosses, recesses, or holes for mounting some of the additional elements of the mechanism, and these requirements complicate the manufacture and assembly of the movements.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a control mechanism for mechanical watch movements answering the practical requirements better than has been the case until now, particularly thanks to a simple and space-saving arrangement, especially a thin one, which is easily mounted and performs the necessary functions in a reliable manner.

To this end, the present invention relates to a control mechanism for mechanical watch movements comprising a control stem, a setting-lever pivoting on the movement plate and linked to the stem, a setting-lever spring capable of securing the stem in several different axial positions, a clutch-wheel movable on a square of the stem, a winding-pinion coaxial with the stern, and a setting-wheel intended to be driven in rotation by the clutch-wheel in at least one of the said positions of the stem, and further comprising a control plate pivoting on the movement plate and having at least two arms, one of these arms being resiliently deformable with respect to the other arm, which is rigid, and a spring causing the said control plate to rotate around its pivoting point, and wherein the said resiliently defonnable arm is engaged in a groove of the clutch-wheel while the rigid arm carries the said setting-wheel.

A preferred embodiment of the mechanism in accordance with the invention will now be described by way FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a watch movement equipped with the-mechanism, the stem of which is in the setting position,

FIG. 2 is a plan view analogous to that of FIG. 1, showing the stem in an intermediate position between the setting position and the correction position,

FIG. 3 is a plan view analogous to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the stem in the correction position,

FIG. 4 is a complete top plan view of the parts of the mechanism in their winding position, with certain of them being broken away, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on a larger scale along the line V-V of FIG. 4. I

The 'plan views shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 depict only those parts of the mechanism which are necessary for an understanding of the principle of its operation. The elements which have been eliminated from those figures are, however, visible in FIG. 4.

Mounted on a movement plate 1 of the watch movement is a minute-wheel 2 of conventional design and operation. In the position shown in FIG. 1, a transmission setting-wheel 3 is engaged in the toothing of the minute-wheel 2. This setting-wheel 3 is movable in translation, as will be seen further on, and for that purpose it pivots at the free end of a rigid arm 4a of a control plate designated as a whole bythe reference numberal 4. This control plate 4 is flat. It can be blanked out of sheet-steel and bears a pivoting stud 5 engaged in a hole in the movement plate 1. It has a second rigid arm 4b and, between the arms 4a and 4b, a resiliently deformable arm 40, the head of which is blanked with an indentation 4d and, on the side opposite this indentation, a triangular projection 4e. The arm 4c acts as a yoke, and its free end is engaged in a groove of a clutch-wheel 6 mounted on a square of a winding and setting stem 7. This stem 7 is of conventional design. It is intended to bear a crown at its outer end (not shown) and has a groove 8 for receiving the stud of a settinglever 9 as well as a cylindrical bearing surface 10 for the pivoting of a winding-pinion 11. The setting-lever pivots around a fixed axis in the form of a pin 12. Opposite its stud engaged in the groove 8, it has two beaks l3 and 14 and bears a pin 15 which cooperates with the of example with reference to the accompanying drawing. The mechanism of this embodiment comprises members for correcting a date-indicator and a dayindicator which are actuated when the stem is in its intermediate position. In the drawing,

head of a setting-lever spring 16. In this head are three notches which cooperate with the pin 15 so as to fix the three positions of the setting-lever 9 and the stem 7, these three positions corresponding to the setting position (that shown in FIG. 1, in which the stem is pulled all the way out), the intermediate or correction position, and the innermost or winding position.

The setting-lever spring 16 is integral with a rigid plate 17 secured to the movement plate 1 by a screw 18 and having several arms: an arm 19 covers the stem 7 and the pivoting pin 12 of the setting-lever 9, and holds the setting-lever, while an arm 20 enables the winding-pinion to be held in place when the mechanism is being wound. An arm 21, which may be slightly bent upward, covers the setting-wheel 3 and serves to hold the plate 4 on the movement plate 1. This latter arm 21 especially causes a pin 22, projecting from the lower face of the plate 4, to engage in an aperture or circular recess 23 in the movement plate 1. Thus the possible clearance for angular movement of the plate 4 is limited by the pin 22 coming up against the circular flank of the recess 23 at two directly oppposite points. The movements of the plate 4 are governed by a strip-spring 24 which presses against a boss 25 in the movement plate I. This strip-spring 24, secured at one end to a lateral catch 26 of the plate 4, is kept in a state of greater or lesser tension according to the position of the plate.

When the plate 4 rotates on the stud 5, it can cause the displacement of the clutch-wheel 6 and the settingwheel 3 by means of its arms 4a and 4c. However, the resiliency of the arm 40 makes possible differing degrees of displacement as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. As already mentioned, FIG. 1 shows the mechanism in its setting position. The beak 14 of the setting-lever 9 presses against the arm 4c at a point situated beyond the indentation 4d. Thus the entire plate 4 is caused to rotate clockwise. The pin 22 has come up against the left-hand edge, as viewed in FIG. I, of the aperture 23, which corresponds to the maximum tensing of the spring 24. Moreover,,the resilient arm 40 has bent, so that the projection 4e has come to rest against the flank of the arm 4a. Under these conditions, the settingwheel 3 has moved as far as possible to the left in FIG. 1, and the same applies to the winding-pinion 6. The axial toothing of this latter part is engaged in the toothing of the setting-wheel 3, so that rotation of the stem 7 causes rotation of the minute-wheel 2. The stud of the setting-lever 9 is pressed against an incline 27 which constitutes one of the flanks of the notch in the head of the setting-lever spring to ensure the setting position, so that this position is stable.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show an intermediate setting-wheel, the support means of which are not shown and will be described further on. In FIG. 1, this setting-wheel is not engaged with setting-wheel 3; it comes into operation in other positions of the winding stem.

FIG. 2 shows the same elements as FIG. 1, but in an intermediate position between the setting position and the correction position. Thus the stem 7 has been pushed toward the center of the movement, and the pin 15 of the setting-lever 9 is now situated at the top of the incline 27, ready to enter the middle notch of the head of the setting-lever spring 16. The rotation of the setting-lever 9 has brought the beak 14 opposite the indentation 4d of the arm 40. This arm, which is more rigid than the spring 24, has therefore straightened out, thus moving the clutch-wheel 6 toward the right while the entire plate 4 was turning slightly around itspivot 5 under the influence of the spring 24, and while the pin 22 was moving to approximately the center of the recess 23. Hence the displacement of the clutch-wheel 6 due to the movement of the arm 40 is greater than that of the setting-wheel 3 due to the arm 4a of the plate 4. In the intermediate position, shown in FIG. 2, the clutch-wheel 6 is disengaged from the transmission setting-wheel 3. This disengagement took place as soon as the stem 7 started to move, so that when the toothing of the setting-wheel 3 leaves that of the minute-wheel 2, the setting-wheel is completely free. Hence there is no risk of its either blocking or displacing the minutewheel 2.

FIG. 3 shows the mechanism in the correction position. The pin 15, integral with the setting-lever 9, is engaged in the middle notch of the head of the settinglever spring 16, with the stem 7 coming into its position midway between the setting position and the winding position. The beak 14 of the setting-lever 9 has slid along the upper flank of the indentation 4d; but at the same time, the beak 13 has entered into contact with the end of the arm 4b of the plate 4. This plate has therefore been caused to rotate counterclockwise so that the pin 22 has come up against the right-hand edge of the recess 23. Hence the movement of the settinglever 9 has had the effect of moving the head of the resilient arm 40 away from the arm 4b and of bringing the projection 4e into contact with the inner flank of the arm 40. Thus during the transition from the position of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 3, the plate 4 has pivoted without the end of the arm 40 having been displaced with respect to the movement plate 1. In other words, the clutch-wheel 6 has remained stationary while the transmission setting-wheel 3 has moved towards the clutchwheel 6 and has again engaged with it. At the same time, the transmission setting-wheel 3 was meshing with the intermediate setting-wheel 28. In the position shown in FIG. 3, it will be seen that the projection 4e is resting against the edge of the arm 4a'of the plate 4. This plate istherefore blocked by the two beaks 13 and 14 of the setting-lever 9, one of them pressing the arm 40 against the arm 4a and the other retaining the arm 4b. The functions which can be carried out upon rotation of the stem 7 when in this axial position will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. However, before going on to that figure, let us examine what will happen when the stem 7 is pushed into the winding position. The setting-lever 9 is going to pivot clockwise around its axis 12, so that the pin 15 will reach the third notch of the head of the setting-lever spring 16. the beak 14 will move completely away from the resilient arm 4c, while the beak III will move away from the arm 4b. Thus the plate 4 will be held by its spring 24 in a position where the pin 22 is resting against the right-hand edge of the recess 23, with the arm 4c extending freely between the two arms 4a and 4b. Thus the result of the transition from the middle position to the winding position is that the setting-wheel 3 remains engaged with the setting-wheel 28, but the clutch-wheel 6 moves on the square of the stem 7 and meshes with the windingpinion 11. The Breguet toothings of the clutch-wheel 6 and of the winding setting-wheel are engaged in one another by the resilient force of the spring 24. This spring can undergo very slight deflections when it is subjected to a weak force, so that Breguet toothing can function in an absolutely normal manner when the winding stem is turned in order to actuate the ratchet-wheel.

The positions assumed by the various parts of the mechanism in the winding position are clearly visible in FIG. 4 even though the mechanism is shown with all its parts in this figure. It will be seen in particular that the clutch-wheel 6 meshes with the winding-pinion 11 and that the resilient arm 46 extends in a straight line between the rigid arms 4b and 4a of the plate 4. The plate 4 is covered by a correction bridge 29 which is secured to a projecting portion of the movement plate 1 by a screw 30 and holds the plate 4. This bridge 29, which is more or less rectangular in shape, carries the settingwheel 28 which pivots around a fixed axis. As can be seen in FIG. 5, it also carries an oscillating lever 31 which pivots on a stud 32 driven into an aperture at the end of it. This stud 32 has two cylindrical bearing surfaces, one of which is engaged with play in an opening in the lever 31, and the other of which, slightly larger, is engaged in an opening in a blade-spring 36 which is slightly curved at its free end. The oscillating lever 31 bears at its free end a fixed journal 33 provided with a stepped-out head; around this journal 33 pivots a first correction-train consisting of a pinion 34 and an adjustable resilient washer 35 provided with a correction finger 35a. The slightly curved end portion of the bladespring 36 extends beneath the pinion 34 and keeps it permanently pressed against the head of the journal 33. The lower end of the journal 33 projects beneath the lever 31 and is engaged in a circular opening 37 in the correction bridge 29. This engagement limits the possible clearance for angular movement of the lever 31. As the toothing of the pinion 34 is permanently engaged with that of the intermediate setting-wheel 28, this pinion 34 comes to be coupled to the winding stem when the latter is in the correction position. However, according to the direction of rotation of the stem, the lever 31 will move, and its position will be determined by the pressure of the lower end of the journal 33 against the flank of the opening 37 at one end or the other of a diameter of this openingfNevertheless, the lever 31 is so disposed that whatever its position, the toothing of the pinion 34 remains engaged with that of the setting-wheel 28.

The mechanism described further comprises a second correction train consisting of a pinion 38 and a plate 39. The pinion 38 turns on a fixed journal set in the bridge 29. It comprises a hub and a toothing, with the toothing on the same level as that of the pinion 34, while the plate 39 extends down a little farther than the plate 35. The plate 39 has two diametrically opposed fingers 39a. The train 38, 39 has a fixed axis and is disposed in such a way that the pinion 34 drives it when its lever 31 is in the position shown in FIG. 4. In this position, the pinions 34 and 38 therefore rotate with the setting-wheel 28, and the two diametrically opposed fingers of the resilient member 39 alternately actuate he ates he 3 q nsr th li of hi h extends so as to be driven by the fingers of the member 39. The gear-train 28, 34, 38 therefore constitutes a date-correction mechanism and acts in this manner upon clockwise rotation of the stem 7 as seen when viewing the stem from right to left in FIG. 4. As a matter of fact, when the stem turns in that direction, the transmission setting-wheel 3 turns counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4, and the intermediate setting-wheel 28 turns clockwise, so that the pinion 34 turns counterclockwise. Because of the spring 36, the lever 31 is therefore pulled counterclockwise, and the pinion 34 is kept engaged with the pinion 38. If, on the other hand, the stem is turned in the other direction, the transmission setting-wheel 3 turns clockwise and the intermediate setting-wheel 28 counterclockwise, so that the lever 31 is subjected to a force which moves it clockwise. The pinion 34 turns clockwise after being moved away from the pinion 38. The finger 35 then comes to mesh with a 14-tooth day-star 41 which moves one step with each rotation of the pinion 34. The star 41 bears a disc 42 on which the days of the week are printed, each of them appearing twice. The two indications corresponding to each day are adjacent to one another and appear successively in an aperture in the dial. When the star 41 is actuated by the movement, it advances two steps every 24 hours. Its precise orientation is determined by a jumper 43.

As the plates 39 and 35 are resiliently mounted on the hubs of the pinions which carry them, and as, moreover, the pinions 38, 34 and 28 are free as long as the stem is in winding position, as seen in FIG. 4, the calendar indicator members are in no danger of being blocked when they are displaced by the driving mechanism actuated by the movement.

Thus there is provided a complete control mechanism having three positions, of a very simple design, easy to mount, and reliable.

in particular, thanks to the conformation of the plate 4, which comprises a resilient arm with a rigid arm on either side of it, the mechanism ensures the disengagment of the toothings of the transmission setting-wheel and of the clutch-wheel while these members are being moved from the setting position to the correction position, even though these toothings are engaged with one another in those two positions. This result is achieved by means of a single movable support, the plate 4. This mechanism could naturally also be used in a simple date system. The plate 39 could then be mounted directly on the setting-wheel 28.

As already mentioned above, the mechanism described is of a particularly simple and efficient design. More precisely, it will be seen that it makes for a substantial increase in efficiency in the mass-production of watch movements inasmuch as the assembly shown in FIG. 5, comprising various trains mounted on the plate 29, can be put in place as a single unit. As a matter of fact, these various trains extend above the plate 29 without interfering with other elements of the movement, so that during assembly, the plate 29 can be put in place after all the elements shown in FIGS. 1-3, for example, have been mounted, the star 41 then being put in place afterward. In the absence of the correction support 29 and the trains borne by it, the mechanism consisting of the control plate 4, the setting-wheel 3, the stem 7, the setting-lever 9, and the setting-lever spring 16, 17 constitutes a winding and setting mechanism which performs all the control functions necessary in a mechanical watch movement without a calendar device. Consequently, it will be seen that the same plates can be used with mechanisms intended for movements provided with either a simple calendar or a day/- date calendar or without any calendar. Hence it is possible to produce identical basic calibers assembled on the same assembly-lines and to finish the equipment of the movements as desired. To produce calendar movements, it will suffice to add to the basic caliber a datering and, if necessary, a day-star, with their driving members and the correction unit supported by the plate 29. In the case of movements intended to be finished without any calendar device, the control mechanism will be mounted with a setting-lever spring having only two notches at the end of the arm 16 and with a control plate 4 having no arm 4b.

What is claimed is:

l. A control mechanism for mechanical watch movements comprising a control stem, a setting-lever pivoting on a movement plate and linked to the stern, a setting-lever spring capable of securing the stem in several different axial positions, a clutch-wheel movable on a square of the stem, a winding-pinion coaxial with the stem, and a setting-wheel intended to be driven in rotation by the clutch-wheel in at least one of the said positions of the stem, and further comprising a control plate pivoting on the movement plate and having'at least two arms, one of these arms being resiliently deformable with respect to the other arm, which is rigid, and a second spring causing the said control plate to rotate around its pivoting point, and wherein the said resiliently deformable arm is engaged in a groove of the clutch-wheel while the rigid arm carries the said setting-wheel.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the control plate is held against the movement plate by the setting-lever spring.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the flexibility of the second spring causing the control plate to rotate is greater than that of the said deformable arm.

4. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the movements of the control plate around its pivoting axis are limited by a pin integral with the said control plate and engaged in a hole in the movement plate, this hole being larger in size than the pin.

5. A mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a minute-wheel mounted on the movement plate, and wherein the said setting-wheel is engaged with the said minute-wheel when the stem is in its outermost position.

6. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the resiliently deformable arm extends parallel to the rigid arm and has a projection on the edge of it facing the rigid arm, its opposite edge having at least one projection and one indentation which cooperate with a first beak of the setting-lever.

7. A mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the control plate has a second rigid arm situated on the opposite side of the deformable arm from the otherrigid arm, and wherein the setting-lever has a second beak which, in one position of the stem, cooperates with the second rigid arm, the said control plate then being blocked by the pressure of the two beaks of the settinglever on the deformable arm and on the second rigid arm, respectively, and by the pressure of the said projection of the deformable arm against the other rigid arm. 

1. A control mechanism for mechanical watch movements comprising a control stem, a setting-lever pivoting on a movement plate and linked to the stem, a setting-lever spring capable of securing the stem in several different axial positions, a clutch-wheel movable on a square of the stem, a winding-pinion coaxial with the stem, and a setting-wheel intended to be driven in rotation by the clutch-wheel in at least one of the said positions of the stem, and further comprising a control plate pivoting on the movement plate and having at least two arms, one of these arms being resiliently deformable with respect to the other arm, which is rigid, and a second spring causing the said control plate to rotate around its pivoting point, and wherein the said resiliently deformable arm is engaged in a groove of the clutchwheel while the rigid arm carries the said setting-wheel.
 2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the control plate is held against the movement plate by the setting-lever spring.
 3. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the flexibility of the second spring causing the control plate to rotate is greater than that of the said deformable arm.
 4. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the movements of the control plate around its pivoting axis are limited by a pin integral with the said control plate and engaged in a hole in the movement plate, this hole being larger in size than the pin.
 5. A mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a minute-wheel mounted on the movement plate, and wherein the said setting-wheel is engaged with the said minute-wheel when the stem is in its outermost position.
 6. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the resiliently deformable arm extends parallel to the rigid arm and has a projection on the edge of it facing the rigid arm, its opposite edge having at least one projection and one indentation which cooperate with a first beak of the setting-lever.
 7. A mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the control plate has a second rigid arm situated on the opposite side of the deformable arm from the other rigid arm, and wherein the setting-lever has a second beak which, in one position of the stem, cooperates with the second rigid arm, the said control plate then being blocked by the pressure of the two beaks of the setting-lever on the deformable arm and on the second rigid arM, respectively, and by the pressure of the said projection of the deformable arm against the other rigid arm. 